Water gauge for boilers



Filed June 14, 1926 J. c. SHAFFER El AL WATER GAUGE FOR BOILERS Nov. 16 1926.

Patented Nov. 16, 1926,

UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

WATER GAUGE Eon BOILERS.

Application, filed June 14, 1926. Serial No. 115,940.

Our invention relates. to water gauges.

We provide a water gauge, particularly well adapted for use upon high pressure steam boilers, while not necessarily restricted to this use. The water gauge is formed in three major parts, which may be separated or assembled, withoutthe employment of tools, or the manipulation of bolts or the like. The device is simple in construction and insures a proper close fit between thevalve element and its seat. The valve element is shifted to the opened or closed position by means of a handle, adapted to exert a cam, leverage, or compound pressure upon the same, whereby the valve element is securely retained seated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention-will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like partsthroughout the same, I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a water gauge embodying our invention, showing the valve element closed,

Figure 2 is a similar view,*parts in central vertical longitudinal section, showing the valve-element in the opened position,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, and, 1

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the body portion and pivoted valve element or housing, the same being separated for the purpose of illustration.

' In thedrawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 5 designates a boiler shell, having a screw-threaded opening, for the. reception of a screwthreaded tubular stem 6, carried by a body portion 7 The stem and body portion have a common longitudinal opening or bore -8, as shown. The body portion has flat parallelside faces 9, and cylindrical lugs or trunnions 10 preferably formed integral therewith. These trunnions'are preferably arranged near the bottom of the faces 9, as shown. The bodyportion 7 is provided with an outwardly projecting laterally reduced interfitting or guide extension 11, provided with fiatparallel side faces 11, and having an outer straight inclined face 12. The interfitting or guide extension 11 provides with the faces 9, upstanding shoulders 13. Disposed at the top of the inclined face 12 and integral with the body portion, is a cylindrical horizontal transverse pivot element or pin 14:, the ends of which are flush with the side faces 9. Arranged beneath the pivot element or pin 1% is a curved recess 15, which is generally concentric with relation thereto. The inter-fitting or guide extension 11 is provided upon its inclined face 12 with a raised projection 16, constituting a valve seat, and this raised projection has a flat face 17, which is preferably inclined at an angle of about 10 to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, as shown Extending through this flat face is an opening 18, lead 7 ing into the opening 8, as shown.

(lo-acting with the body portion 7 is a pivoted valve element or housing, designated as a whole by the numeral 19. This valve elementis provided with a recess 20, form-# ing interfitting or guide plates or sides 21, to slidably receive the interfitting or guide extensions 11. The recess also affords an inclined deflecting wall 22. At its top, the

valve element or housing 19 is formed in a down-turned hook 23, preferably integral therewith, forming a circularly curved 'recess 2%, whereby this hook is pivoted'upon the pin 14. The deflecting wall 22 is provided with an internal recess 25, of a shape and size to receive the raised projection 16. This recess is adapted for the reception of a lining stripl26, formed of some suitably soft non-corrosive material, such as'lcar,

babbitt, copper, or zinc, or compositions of on asbestos and graphite. It is thus seen that when the valve element or housing 19 is in the' closed or lowermost position, the lining 26 will engage with the face 17 of the raised projection 16, thus covering the opening 18. as

The valve element orhousing 19 may be arranged'at about an angle of 40 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, when in the closed position, although this angular arrangement maybe varied.

(lo-acting with the valve element or housing 19 is a weighted handle, designated as a whole by the numeral 27. This weighted handle embodies an inner portion or shank including'a pair spaced shank arms 28, having inner fiat parallel faces 29, adapted to slidably receive therebetween the fiat faces 9 and the outer flat parallel faces 21, of the plates 21. These shank arms are provided near their inner ends with transverse slots 30, extending upwardly through the top edges of the shank arms and these slots lead into circularly curved openings or recesses 31, adapted for the pivotal reception of the trunnionsor pivot elements 10. The free ends of the shank arms 28 are preferably rounded. The valve element or housing 19 is provided upon its plates or sides with longitudinally curved outwardly projecting ribs 32, which are eccentric with relation to the trunnions or pivots 10. These ribs extend within curved grooves 3", formed upon the inner fiat faces 29 of the shank arms 28, and these grooves are also eccentric with the trunnions 10 and sufficiently wider than the ribs to permit proper play. The handle is provided adjacent the outer ends of the shank arms 28 with a cam face 3%, adapted to engage with the cam face of the valve element or housing 19. The handle embodi-es a weighted outer end 36.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the valve element or housing 19 is in the closed or lowermost position, and the valve strip or lining 26 contacts with the face 17 of the raised projection 16, and thereby covers the opening 18. The weighted handle has its cam face 34 engaging the eccentric cam face 35, and the handle, therefore, exerts a cam action or compound pressure upon the valve element, securely retaining the same seated. When the handle 27 is elevated, the eccentric ribs 32 operating within the grooves 33, elevate the valve element or housing 19, thus uncovering the opening 18 and permitting of the escape of the steam or water which is directed downwardly by means of the faces 21 and 22. When the valve lining or face 26 is brought into and out of contact with the face 17, the movement of the lining is substantially perpendicular to the face 17, and there is no longitudinal sliding contact, which would cause the parts to unduly wear. As the lining or facing 26 wears down, in use, the raised projection 32 extends into the recess 25, and hence the seating engagement is maintained. As this wearing occurs the handle 27 descends and approaches a horizontal position.

In separating the major elements of the gauge, the handle 27 is first swung upwardly to substantially a vertical position, so that the grooves 33 release the ribs 32. The lower ends of the shank arms 28 may now be n anipulated so that the same will release the trunnions 10, subsequently to which "the handle may be moved upwardly off of the body portion 7. The valve element or housing 19 is now swung upwardly with relation to the extension 11, so that the edges of the plates 21 will clear the raised projection 16, subsequently to which the valve element is separated from the body portion by sliding the same laterally, until the hooked end is removed from the pin 14. It is obvious that a reverse of this operation is employed in assembling the parts of the gauge. In this manner, the valve element or housing 19 may be removed from the body portion 7, during the operation of the boiler and anew lining or facing placed therein, and the ele ments again assembled, or a new valve element or housing may be substituted. The opening 18 is small, and only a relatively small amount of steam will escape during the absence of the housing 19. -The steam thus discharging will not injure the operator who may-stand at the side of the valve entirely out of the line of escaping steam. If preferred, a small plug could be employed to close the opening 18. The major elements may be separated and assembled without the-aid of any tool as there are no bolts, etc., to be manipulated.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim V 1. In a water gauge, a tubular body portion for connection. with a boiler, said tubular body portion having an inclined face through which its bore extends, said body portion having a circularly curved pivot element formed integral with the same at the top of said inclined face, a valve element provided with a hooked end to pivotally receive said pivot element and having an inclined face to contact with the first named face and cover the bore extending through the same, said valve element having an outer cam face, and a handle pivoted to the body portion and provided with a cam face to contact with the outer cam face of the valve ele ment, said handle and valve element also having a rib and slot connection whereby the valve element may be opened 'by the movement of the handle in one direction.

2. In a water gauge, a tubular body portion for connection with a boiler and having an inclined face through which its bore extends, said body portion having a circularly curved pivot element above said inclined face, a valve element provided with a hooked end to pivotally receive said pin and having an inclined face to contact with the first named inclined face and cover said bore, said valve element having spaced sides extending across the opposite sides of the body portion in proximity to said bore, said valve element having an outer cam face, and a handle pivoted to the body portion and provided with a cam face to contact with the outer cam face of the valve element, said handle and valve element also having a rib and slot connection whereby the valve element may be opened by the movement of the handle in one direction.

3. In a water gauge, a tubular body portion for connection with a boiler, said tubular body portion having a face through which its bore extends, said tubular body portion having a pivot element near its top and pivot elements upon its sides, a valve element provided with a hooked portion to pivotally receive the top pivot element and having a face for oo-action with the first named face, said valve element having an outer cam face, and a handle including spaced shank elements provided with slots to detachably receive the side pivot elements, said handle having a cam face for engagement with the outer cam face of the valve element, said handle and valve element also having a rib and slot connection whereby the valve element may be opened by the movement of the handle in one direction.

4. In a water gauge, a tubular body portion for connection with a boiler and having a face through which the bore of the tubular body portionextends, a valve element pivoted to the body portion above said bore and having a face to cover the first named face, said valve element having an outer cam face, and a lever pivoted to the body portion and having a part to engage with the outer cam face of the valve element, said lever and valve element also having a rib and groove connection so that the valve element may be raised by the lever.

5. In a water gauge, a tubular body portion for connection with a boiler, a valve element pivoted to the body portion and having a face to cover the bore of the tubular body portion, said valve element having an outer cam face, a pivoted lever having a part to engage with the cam face, and a rib and groove connection between the lever and valve element so that the valve element may be opened by a movement of the lever.

6. In a water gauge, a tubular body portion for connection with a boiler having a bore for the escape of steam or water, a valve pivoted to the tubular body portion and having a face to cover the bore of the tubular body portion, said valve having an outer cam face, a lever having a pair of spaced shank arms and a cam face arranged between the shank arms, said shank arms receiving the valve element therebetween so that the outer cam face of the valve element may engage the cam face of the lever, means for pivotally supporting the lever near the tubularbody portion, one shank arm being provided with a groove and an extension carried by the valve element and slidable within the groove.

7. In a water gauge, a tubular body portion for connection with a boiler and having a bore through which the steam and water discharges, a valve element pivoted to the tubular body portion and having a face adapted to cover said bore and also having an outer cam face, a lever having a pair OI spaced shank arms to receive therebetween the tubular body portion and valve element and also having a cam face arranged between the shank arms to contact with said outer cain face of the valve element, means for pivotally connecting the lever with the tubular body portion, and an interfiitting sliding connection between one shank arm and the valve element whereby the valve element may be opened by the movement of said lever.

8. In a water gauge, a tubular body portion for connection with a boiler and having a bore for the discharge of steam or water, said tubular body portion having a circularly curved pivot element formed integral with the same upon one side of said bore, a valve element provided with a hooked end to pivotally receive said pivot element and adapted to be slid longitudinally upon the pivot element when being inserted thereon and removed therefrom, said valve element being adapted to cover said bore, and a pivot handle having a part to engage with the valve element and shift the same tov the closed position 9. In a water gauge, a tubular body portion having a bore and provided with a circularly curved pivot element rigidly attached to the same upon one side of said bore, a valve element provided with a hooked end to be shifted longitudinally upon the pivot element when being placed thereon and removed therefrom, said valve element being adapted to turn upon the pivot element and to cover said bore, said valve element having an outer cam face, a lever having a cam face to engage the cam face of said valve element, and means for detachably pivotally connecting the lever with the tubular body portion.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

JOHN C. SHAFFER. LYNN S. MANKIN. 

